The diference between this and that carbon offset program
Carbon offsetting is one of the more popular ways to be green these days, especially for companies. And why not, you don't actually have to change your lifestyle, you just buy away the guilt of emitting CO2. Not that carbon offset programs are bad, they're not. But it's important to figure out which ones are doing better than others.
To that end, Reuters took at look at carbon offset companies like Atmosfair, TerraPass, e-BlueHorizons, CO2 Balance, Climate Care and the Carbon Neutral Company last week as part of their special environment reporting. To quote from the article on just how difficult it is for individuals to understand exactly what these companies are offering, "some carbon-offset brokers do not verify their emissions cuts through a third party, or else sell cuts that have not happened yet, or sell offsets not directly linked to emissions cuts at all."
Thanks to some new U.N.-sponsored Kyoto Protocol regulated carbon trading standards, though, there might soon be clarity in this dirty mess. The key is figuring our if the offset actually causes emissions cuts by providing financial incentives, instead of counting on emissions cuts that would would have happened anyway. Check out Reuters for the details.
Related:
[Source: Gerard Wynn / Reuters]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Joseph 8:48PM (5/07/2007)
All of this "buying away your CO2 emmisions" is silly. Just drive a diesel or hybrids, use less water, recycle, and maybe put a windmill or solar panels on your house.
Reply
Howard Lee Harkness 9:49PM (5/06/2007)
"And why not, you don't actually have to change your lifestyle, you just buy away the guilt of emitting CO2."
Ah, there's the rub. CO2 offsets are essentially Liberal (capital L) feel-good programs that allow Liberal (capital L) hypocrites to salve the guilt caused by being well-off. 'Scuse me, but I prefer to reduce my CO2 footprint by generating less of it, and not by sending off money to some Liberal (capital L) feel-good organization that may or may not actually accomplish anything useful with it (after a generous administration fee), in order to salve the guilt of riding around in a private jet.
Reply
Tim 8:42AM (5/07/2007)
Carbon Offsets are just a socialist transfer of wealth from the productive to the non-productive. Nothing more, nothing less.
Reply
66coronet 1:44PM (5/07/2007)
May home depot, Lowe's, grocery stores and any other businesses with a large roof need to do this too.
Our government needs to find buildings they own and do it too providing it has a Souther exposure.
Reply
66coronet 2:05PM (5/07/2007)
"2. Carbon Offsets are just a socialist transfer of wealth from the productive to the non-productive. Nothing more, nothing less.
Posted at 8:42AM on May 7th 2007 by Tim"
Not always. Sometimes it's just using newer technology will do the off set. Instead of flying to a meeting, now use a lab top with camera and do the converance call or meeting. The computer can be also projected onto a screen/wall if in front of a large group. Then to answer questions, a camera & mic to a computer for him. Plus if he wants, a computer to provide written dialog on the bottom of the screen. So there is no misunderstanding on what was said. And if someone didn't hear what he said, could still read what he said.
I see nothing wrong with solar panels on a roofs of multi buildings over building another electric plant. Plus over time after the cells pay for their installation bill, it's all profit to the owner who owns them.
Reply
peter.buck 2:45PM (5/07/2007)
My favorite personal carbon offset provider is the Carbon Neutral Club of the Solar Electric Light Fund (self.org). For $10 you can fund a micro-loan for a 3rd worlder to buy solar charged lighting to replace kerosine lighting. Since burning kerosine causes childhood respiratory disease, you not only offset your own carbon use and bring a little light to someone who needs it but also support entrepreneurship and save a kid from a preventable sickness. And it's a permanent offset, unlike tree-planting, where the carbon is re-released when the tree dies and decays.
Reply
peter.buck 2:51PM (5/07/2007)
Oh yeah - and the loan is paid off in three years in savings on kerosine purchases. After that, the kerosine money can send a kid to school or improve life in some other way.
Reply
Howard Lee Harkness 4:42PM (5/13/2007)
"Carbon Offsets are just a socialist transfer of wealth from the productive to the non-productive." --Tim
They're not even that good, Tim:
http://environment.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=dn11835&feedId=earth_rss20
Reply